Electric ground connector plug

ABSTRACT

An electric ground connector plug using three parallel bare rigid conductors snap fitted into a front opening of a hollow elongated non-conductive body by means of a removable nonconductive insert. The rigid conductors have rear ends disposed in the body and bent to conform with chamfered peripheral surfaces disposed about a rear opening in the body. One end of a cable is disposed in the rear opening. The cable contains three insulatedly separated flexible conductors, each flexible conductor being secured by a screw to a corresponding rigid conductor adjacent the rear opening in the body.

United States Patent 1191 James et al.

1451 Sept. 30, 1975 1 ELECTRIC GROUND CONNECTOR PLUG [76] Inventors:Edwin E. James, 306 W. 228th St.

Carson, Calif. 90745; Robert L. Shell, 744 W. 9th St, San Pedro. Calif.90731 [22] Filed: July 22, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 490,801

[52] US. Cl. 339/14 P; 339/62; 339/176 M; 339/195 M [51] Int. Cl. HOIR3/06 [58] Field of Search 339/14 P, 62, 63, 176 R, 339/176 M, 195 R, 195M [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,060,709 11/1936Wertzheiser .1 339/6312 3.617.981 11 1971 Kramer r. 339/63 M PrimaryExanzinew-Roy Lake Assistant Examinew-DeWalden W. Jones 5 7 ABSTRACT Anelectric ground connector plug using three parallel bare rigidconductors snap fitted into a front opening of a hollow elongatednon-conductive body by means of a removable non-conductive insert. Therigid conductors have rear ends disposed in the body and bent to conformwith chamfered peripheral surfaces disposed about a rear opening in thebody. One end of a cable is disposed in the rear opening. The cablecontains three insu'latedly separated flexible conductors, each flexibleconductor being secured by a screw to a corresponding rigid conductoradjacent the rear opening in the body.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures ELECTRIC GROUND CONNECTOR PLUG SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION This invention is directed toward a safe inexpensive easilymanufactured electric ground connector plug for use with appliances andthe like.

To this end, an elongated hollow non-conductive body has a cablereceiving rear opening and an enlarged front opening. A removablenon-conductive insert slidably fits in the front opening of the body.The abutting peripheral surfaces of insert and body define three spacedbores. Each bore is adapted to receive an elongated bare conductor.

Three parallel bare rigid conductors extend in the same direction as thedirection of elongation. Each rigid conductor is disposed in frictiontight engagement with the corresponding bore and extends therethroughwith front ends exposed and rear ends disposed in the interior of thebody. Each rear end has a transverse threaded opening engaged by acorresponding removable screw.

In use, one end of a cable is disposed in the rear opening of the body.The cable contains three flexible conductors insulatedly seperated fromeach other. One end of each flexible conductor is detachably securedbetween a corresponding screw and the bare conductor receiving thecorresponding screw.

Additional strength and rigidity can be obtained by chamfering theperopheral surfaces within the body disposed about the rear opening andbending the rear ends of the rigid conductors so that these rear endsconform to these surfaces. The bare conductors are thus effectivelylocked in position and will not shift when the plug is inserted into afemale socket or removed therefrom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of one form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an assembled front end view of the structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross section of a modification of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of another modification of theinvention; and

FIG. 5 is a detail view of a portion of the structure shown in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIGS. 12, an elongated hollow electrically non-conductive body has an enlargedfront opening 12 and a cable receiving rear opening 14. A removableelectrically non-conductive insert 16 slidably fits into the frontopening leaving a hollow chamber 18 in the body. The mating peripheralsurfaces of insert and body define three spaced longitudinal bores 20.The chamfered peripheral surfaces 22 disposed in the chamber aroundopening 14 are adapted to receive conforming bent rear ends 30, 32 and34 of rigid bare conductors 24, 26 and 28.

The conductors 24, 26 and 28 disposed in parallel position extendlongitudinally through the bores with front ends exposed and rear endsdisposed as described. The conductors are thus locked in place.

Each bare conductor has a transverse threaded hole 36 adjacent its rearend and removably engaged by a corresponding screw 38.

In use, one end of cable 40 carrying three flexible conductors 42insulatedly separated from each other is disposed in opening 14, eachconductor being removably held between screw and bare conductor to makeappropriate electrical connections.

Conductors 24 and 26 are flat and oppositely disposed. Ground conductor28 is U shaped in cross section.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, conductors 24 and 26 can have transverseslots 44 disposed adjacent ends 30, 32 and 34 to accomodate portions ofconductors 42 adjacent the screws to provide additional structuralsupport against breakage of connections.

As shown in FIG. 3, the holes 36 can be disposed in the bent ends andthe screws 38 disposed in place to hold conductors 42 in suitableposition.

While the invention has been described with detailed reference to thedrawings, the protection sought is to be limited only by the terms ofthe claim which follows.

We claim:

I. In combination with an electric cable having three flexibleconductors insulatedly separated from each other, an electric groundconnector plug comprising:

an elongated hollow non-conductive body having a cable receiving rearopening in which one end of the cable is disposed, the end of the rearopening within the body having a chamfered periphery, said body havingan enlarged front opening;

a removable non-conductive insert slidably fitting in the front opening,the abutting peripheral surfaces of the insert and the body definingthree spaced bores, each bore being adapted to receive an elongated bareconductor;

three screws; and

three parallel bare rigid conductors extending in the same direction asthe direction of elongation, each conductor being disposed in frictiontight engagement with the corresponding bore and extending therethroughwith front ends exposed and rear ends disposed in the interior of thebody, each rear end of each bare conductor being bent to conform withthe appropriate portion of the chamfered periphery to impart additionalrigidity to the structure and having a transverse threaded holethreadedly engaged by the corresponding screw, one end of each flexibleconductor being detachably secured between a corresponding screw and thebare conductor receiving the corresponding screw, one selected rigidconductor being used for the ground conductor and having U-shaped crosssection, the remaining two rigid conductors each having a transverseslot adjacent the corresponding screw for accomodating a portion of thecorresponding flexible conductor.

1. In combination with an electric cable having three flexibleconductors insulatedly separated from each other, an electric groundconnector plug comprising: an elongated hollow non-conductive bodyhaving a cable receiving rear opening in which one end of the cable isdisposed, the end of the rear opening within the body having a chamferedperiphery, said body having an enlarged front opening; a removablenon-conductive insert slidably fitting in the front opening, theabutting peripheral surfaces of the insert and the body defining threespaced bores, each bore being adapted to receive an elongated bareconductor; three screws; and three parallel bare rigid conductorsextending in the same direction as the direction of elongation, eachconductor being disposed in friction tight engagement with thecorresponding bore and extending therethrough with front ends exposedand rear ends disposed in the interior of the body, each rear end ofeach bare conductor being bent to conform with the appropriate portionof the chamfered periphery to impart additional rigidity to thestructure and having a transverse threaded hole threadedly engaged bythe corresponding screw, one end of each flexible conductor beingdetachably secured between a corresponding screw and the bare conductorreceiving the corresponding screw, one selected rigid conductor beingused for the ground conductor and having U-shaped cross section, theremaining two rigid conductors each having a transverse slot adjacentthe corresponding screw for accomodating a portion of the correspondingflexible conductor.